Australian Racing: Dubai Honour to star for Haggas

There's plenty of racing action to look forward to on Tuesday, including at Rosehill, where the Group 1 Tancred Stakes card takes place, having been called off on Saturday due to heavy rain.

Weather willing, they are also scheduled to race at Doomben, Geelong, Mackay, Newcastle and Tamworth.

Race 8 Rosehill

Dubai Honour @ 3.80

Race 6 Rosehill

Declichy Boulevard @ 8.50

Race 6 Newcastle

Divine Bene @ 5.00

Tancred Honour to be claimed by Dubai

The previously mentioned Group 1 Kia Tancred Stakes comes up as the eighth race on the Rosehill card.

A heavy 9 track is expected for the 2400m race, with Vauban expected to prove popular with punters having saluted on his first start for new connections last month.

The seven-year-old got home by a narrow margin when contesting the 2000m Sky High Stakes at this venue and he is expected to have improved for that effort.

The gelding’s best form in recent years has come on a sound surface, however, and, while he holds obvious claims, DUBAI HONOUR is preferred.

The seven-year-old has raced in four separate countries in the last year, including when placing third on a heavy 9 track in the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly at Chantilly.

The 3.80 pick raced over 2400m in that contest held at the start of June, before he recorded a Group 1 win over the same distance in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud next time out.

The gelding won by nearly two lengths when racing on a soft 6 surface that day and has placed second in each of his last three starts.

William Haggas does well with his Australian runners and his representative is taken to salute on his first outing since a Hong Kong Vase second in December.

Boulevard to drive to Vinery win

The first of the two Group 1 races at Rosehill is the sixth race of the day, the 2000m Vinery Stud Stakes for three-year-old fillies.

Matt Laurie is set to saddle shorted-priced favourite Treasurethe Moment here, with his representative seeking her seventh consecutive victory.

Already a winner at this level in the 2500m Crown Oaks at Flemington last November, she has won over shorter distances at Group 2 level in two starts this prep.

The daughter of Alabama Express came home nearly two-and-a-half-lengths clear her rivals in the 1600m Kewney Stakes at Flemington last time.

Regular rider Damian Lane is up, however, she is yet to race on a heavy track and DECLICHY BOULEVARD may prove up to causing a surprise.

Chris Waller’s filly showed she handles heavy tracks when competing in maiden company last year, with a second at Gosford with a Warwick Farm win.

Both of those efforts came on heavy 8 surfaces and the youngster has finished in the first three in three subsequent outings in 2024.

The 8.50 pick ended 2024 with a defeat by less than a length when finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Edward Manifold over 1600m at Flemington in early October.

The selection has taken a couple of runs to find her feet this prep, but she put in an improved effort when third in the 1500m Phar Lap Stakes here last month.

The filly steps up in distance here and with Nash Rawiller up she is taken to spring an upset for a top stable.

Bene looks Divine at Newcastle

The penultimate race on Newcastle’s seven-race program is a 1250m Class 1 handicap expected to take place on a soft 7 track.

Four-year-old gelding DIVINE BENE takes the eye in this contest, having broken through for his first win when successful at Beaumont.

The pick came home nearly two lengths clear of his six rivals when contesting an 1150m maiden held on a heavy 8 track that day.

The 5.00 son of Divine Prophet was returning from a spell on that occasion, having shown a liking for wet surfaces in placing three times on heavy going in 2024.

The extra distance here is no issue for Adam Duggan’s charge, while the three-kilogram claim of apprentice Millie Thompson is a positive in this race.

Barrier two is a further positive here and, with improvement expected, the gelding looks up to returning to completing a double.